Hymn of the Week- Leaning On The Everlasting Arms

A couple of years ago we watched the excellent movie "United 93". The movie takes place on September 11, 2001, and it's director tried to stay as completely faithful to the events regarding that flight as possible, down to the exact words of the various passengers, as recorded or recollected by their relatives. As you may remember, United flight 93 was the airliner on which the passengers chose to attack the terrorists who had hijacked the plane, resulting in it crashing in a field in Pennsylvania rather than into Washington, D.C.

One of the most memorable scenes in the movie involved a very young woman calling home on her cell phone. She had just comprehended that the plane was destined to crash, one way or another, and that she was facing certain death. At her parent's home, her stepmother answered the phone. The young woman, in a panicked voice, explained to her stepmother the circumstances she was in. The older woman had already seen news coverage of the other three planes crashing, and quickly understood the situation. She drew a deep breath, and, in the calmest of voices, began to guide the younger woman through her final moments. They expressed their love for each other. Then, the stepmother, seeking to calm the panicked girl, said something like,"I have my arms around you. Do you feel them?" With that, the demeanor of the younger woman changed. She relaxed. "Yes, I feel them," she replied.

Ever since then, that scene has come to mind when we use the hymn "Leaning On The Everlasting Arms" in a worship service. When the refrain lyrics were written by A.J. Showalter in 1887, he was inspired by Deuteronomy 33:26-27: "There is none like the God of Jerusalem- he descends from the heavens in majestic splendor to help you. The eternal God is your Refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." Showalter had just received word from two different friends on the same day, that their young wives had died. In writing his condolences, he had added this verse in his notes to them.

Showalter then wrote to another friend, Elisha Hoffman. Hoffman was an Evangelical Presbyterian pastor in the Cincinnati area, and associated with that denomination's publishing house. Showalter suggested that Hoffman compose a hymn based on his suggestions about this verse. Though both of these men would be considered amateur hymn writers, between them they wrote what has become a favorite standard hymn. (Hoffman also wrote another popular hymn, "I Must Tell Jesus".)

Though the tune is rousing and joyous, the reassuring message that was illustrated by the scene in "United 93" is there. Believers can "rest" in the finished work of Jesus Christ on their behalf. In times of struggle, we can relax into the everlasting arms of our Lord.

What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

refrain:

Leaning, leaning,
Safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

O, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
O, how bright the path grows from day to day,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
(refrain)

What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms?
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
(refrain)

Elisha Albright Hoffman (1839-1929)

An Older Chapter in the "Worship Wars"

"I Sing the Mighty Power of God"
"O God, Our Help in Ages Past"
"Joy to the World, The Lord Has Come"
"Alas, And Did My Saviour Bleed"
"When I Survey the Wondrous Cross"
"At the Cross"
"We're Marching to Zion"

What do all these wonderful old traditional hymns have in common? They are all written by an eighteenth century English pastor named Isaac Watts. This is but a very abbreviated list. If you have any familiarity with traditional hymnody, you would recognize dozens of his contributions to the world of Christian worship!

Though we think of these hymns as traditional, or tried and true, songs of the church, it might surprise you to know that Watts was a cutting-edge, and much maligned, creator of contemporary worship in his day and time. Here is a short biographical video produced by Mars Hill Church of Seattle, that gives you a sense of his role in the history of Christian music.

The Fifth Sunday Family Gathering

Our church has kind of a unique arrangement for our multiple services. We have an 8:15am contemporary style service, followed by Sunday School at 9:30am (with a coffee time in between), and then we have two 10:45 am services, one contemporary and one traditional. That means that Pastor Randy preaches three times each Sunday, and that at 10:45 we "share" him. He preaches early in the 10:45 contemporary service, and then walks to the other side of the building to give his sermon in the traditional service.

Three years ago, when we first started doing this I, with my gift of encouragement, predicted disaster. I was wrong, thank goodness. Though there are challenges for the staff in this schedule, it has worked out pretty well, and our attendance has grown steadily. All three services are well attended.

One thing we all wanted to prevent, since we are an almost 145 year-old congregation, and have many multi-generational families, was the development of three "congregations" that had no sense of connection with each other. One way we did that was to keep our very strong Sunday School system untouched. Most people can remain connected through those classes even if they attend different services.

Another thing we did was institute our Fifth Sunday Family Gatherings. Four times a year, when there is a fifth Sunday in a month, we scrap our usual schedule and meet for a joint service. Sheer numbers means we have to meet in the room that is used for the contemporary service, as we won't all squeeze into the sanctuary. Unfortunately, this means we can't use the pipe organ, but when we plan this service we work very hard to make sure the music is a blend of old and new, and that we use worship elements that feel accessible to every age group. We use musicians from both "sides". We use those services to highlight "family" celebrations: welcoming new members, giving the children entering fourth grade their first Bibles, hearing from the youth about their mission trip, and recognizing those who are graduating from high school or college. These are things the whole congregation likes to unite in celebrating.

This past week was the Sunday we met together, and we recognized the graduates. No, graduating from school is not a particularly "spiritual" thing, but we want to offer encouragement and prayer for those who are moving on to a new stage in their lives. That thought led me to choose a fairly contemporary choral piece for the choir, "Be Strong, and Take Courage", by Basil Chaisson. Before singing it, four of the choir members read these verses:

"Yes I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5, NLT)

"I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowlege and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation-the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ-for this will bring much praise and glory to God." (Phil. 1:9-11, NLT)

"So we keep on praying for you, asking God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Thess. 1:11-12, NLT)

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." (Jer. 29:11, NLT)

It was meaningful to the choir to give this benediction to the graduates on this special Sunday, the Fifth Sunday Family Gathering.

And then, being Baptists, we just had to follow that with a potluck!

Shifting From Self-Focus To Christ-Focus In Worship

Every week, before we enter the Sanctuary, the choir prays together for the congregation. We pray that our members will truly worship; that the message Pastor Randy has been led to give will be listened to, remembered, and acted upon; that the music we have rehearsed so carefully will be pleasing to God, and lead the congregation's thoughts toward Him; that all thoughts will turn from self and toward the Lord.

Though we pray for these things, the congregation has responsibility for their experience, too. The attitudes that come in the door with them will, to a great degree, determine how much or how little they feel the presence of the Lord, each Sunday morning.

"We can settle into a routine of activities at church and in our small groups and Bible studies, with little expectation of anything new. The familiar becomes the predictable, and everything from here on out will be more of the same. We dip our teaspoon into the vast ocean of the living God. Holding that teaspoon in our hand, we say, “This is God.” We pour it out into our lives, and we say, “This is the Christian Experience.” Do our lives reflect the power, wonder, glory, love, and holiness of the living God? Do we downplay people’s expectations of knowing Jesus Christ?

"So what is the proof that the Spirit is being poured out on us? The voice of the church rings with prophetic clarity. The people of God are no longer passive, intimidated, unresponsive, uncertain. They are no longer preoccupied with self, convenience, comfort. They are no longer complaining, whining, griping. Instead, they become outspoken in God’s praises and gospel truth, “declaring the wonders of God” (Acts 2:11). To turn us from self-exaltation to Christ-exaltation, from self-focus to Christ-focus, is a true mark of God’s presence in our midst."

BobKauflin , reflecting on Ray Ortlund's "When God Comes To Church" . I encourage you to read the whole article.

Where are your thoughts on Sunday morning? Are they focused on you? Or are they focused on Christ?

"Tis The Season

Today at staff meeting I proofed the worship order for the Christmas Eve Service. Oh, what a sense of accomplishment that was! Although there is still one more choir rehearsal before our special Sunday of music this weekend, it is finalizing the Christmas Eve service that allows me to feel that all the pieces are in place for our church's celebrations.

Sunday morning we will have lots of beautiful Christmas hymns, extra instrumentalists, and, as has become our custom, a sermon given as a first person dramatization by Pastor Randy. This year he is portraying the Innkeeper. He does this in costume, with all of his message memorized. The job of the choir is to sing two anthems that will support the theme of this sermon. People love this special service, and every year folks invite their friends and family members to come especially to experience it.

Then, Christmas Eve, we will have our traditional evening candle-light service. Scripture will be read. Again, there will be Christmas hymns and carols, soloists and instrumentalists, and the children acting out the Christmas story under Ellen's supervision. At the end, with all the the lights out, we will all sing "Silent Night" as we light each other's candles. The room grows gently brighter as we sing each verse. We all remember the Light of the World, whose birth we celebrate.

I still have some presents to get together. I still need to clean (and baby-proof!!) the house for the arrival of our far away children. Haven't done any baking yet. But all is well. We're ready to worship.

Sunday Stroll-November 30, 2008

First snow! It was so beautiful to see, when I got up a little before dawn this morning. I love the way it hushes everything.

The last red leaves clinging to the burning bush became tree ornaments.

It was the type of still, quiet snowfall that leaves a cake-frosting layer on each branch.

The seed heads of the black-eyed susans became cotton balls.

I drove to the church, and chose a parking spot overlooking the park.

The bald cypress was flocked with white.

The holly by the door provided a foretaste of the Advent decor inside.

Both worship spaces reflected the hard work of the Visual Inspiration Committee's labors the day before.

The first snow, and the first Sunday of Advent!

To see where others strolled today, visit The Quiet Country House.

This post has also been entered in Nancy Bond's First Snowfall meme. There are many other beautiful entries there from all over North America and Britain.

Thankful For Wise Perspective

I'm a little bit of a news junkie, and right now there is more news about the economy than an average person like me can synthesize. In article after article I read that we are headed in to a possible depression comparable to the Great Depression, that the U.S. will never again be the leading world economy, etc. Not too hopeful.

In general, I've taken all this with a grain of salt. First of all, the economy when my husband I and I first got married was, in my opinion, worse. Inflation was ridiculous. Unemployment was much higher, even here, where we have some insulating factors. Mortgage interest rates were much higher- our first little house had a 9.5% mortgage, and that was with an FHA loan. My husband was unemployed for a while, and wound up free-lancing from our home for six years, which was less than ideal.

That's not to say there aren't people who are struggling. I just try not to let the media, who feed on exaggeration, pull me into their drama.

Sunday, my husband and I got a chance to get some very sensible perspective.

After church we decided to eat at Culver's, which is a bit of a First Baptist hang-out at lunch time. As we were looking for a table, we were invited by a church friend, H.E., to sit with him, as he was eating by himself. I had never had the pleasure of a long conversation with this man, though Mike has gotten to know him pretty well. Was I in for a treat! He was one of the most interesting people I've talked to in a long time. He is retired from a management position in the oil business, and he told us about that. He grew up on a farm, and he told us about that. He remembers the Great Depression well, and he told us about that (but not at all in that "young people don't know how good they have it" way). He has followed the current political scene with relish, and offered great perspectives on that. Yet all of this was very conversational, and we never felt like we were being "talked at", but that we could express ourselves and explore ideas freely.

Here are some of the things I came home with:

On oil- we need to drill, to give ourselves time to change over to natural gas or hydrogen. We will always need oil to some degree. Right now, we don't have fueling stations for those new technologies for cars. There is a recent discovery of a huge oil deposit in the Gulf of Mexico that we would be crazy not to pursue.

On the president elect- "I wish him the very best!", but inexperience is a problem, and that's why we are seeing so many Clinton era appointees. That would be fine if this were still the 90s, but time has marched on.

On the economy- this is nothing like the Great Depression when 40% of the community he grew up in were out of work, and the Dust Bowl was going on out west. No one had a cent then, every bank in town was dissolved, and everyone bartered for everything. His family farmed, and had a five acre vegetable plot that they used to barter for other things. They most likely grew all the produce that was being traded in that little town. However, we are in for at least a couple of pretty rough years.

On the bailout- probably needed to do something about the banks, but the automakers need to be allowed to declare bankruptcy, because it will allow the courts to renegotiate the labor contracts, along with other necessary changes that will make them viable after awhile. They won't quit making cars all together, they'll just be forced to make management changes that will be for the best in the long run.

Of course, these are just one person's opinions, but they are based on a long life of successful business management, practical experience, and the perspective of ninety years of life, which have made him moderate and humane, while understanding the need to take a "tough love" approach in some circumstances. It was so interesting, and comforting, to hear what he had to say.

So, today I'm thankful for the chance to hear the wisdom that age provides.

Thankful For A Church That Feels Like Family

Early on Sunday morning, if you stop by the church kitchen, you'll find these ladies working to prepare a way for our church members to be just like the early Christians in the Bible- by eating together! It's not really breakfast, but it is that time-honored tradition of visiting over food that helps us bond like a family. As the Early Service is letting out, and others are arriving for Sunday School and the later services, we have a chance to get everyone together to hang out and chat over coffee, juice, bagels, or doughnut holes. And boy, do we take advantage of that!

This little man is always pleased to be part of the gang. He's headed off for a fun morning in Sunday School with his bagel.

I'm so thankful for my church family! And we don't just eat together. We worship together. We study the Bible together. Most of all, we pray for each other. Just this week, as the staff was praying for a young mom who was having a melanoma scare, she called the church to tell us her test was just finished and she was given the all-clear. She knew we would be praying for her and waiting to hear, and she was right! We are there for each other. We are family.

The November 30 Day Thanksgiving Challenge

Thankful for a Homecoming

My husband and I are in a small group that meets every Thursday evening. There is a couple in our group who have a son in the Army. I remember this young man from when he was a gangly teenager playing in the high school band with one of my boys.

He's been in Afghanistan, and just returned to the States. His parents have aways seemed pretty calm about him, though, of course, our group always prayed for his safety. Tonight his mom admitted to us that the whole time he was gone she was afraid to answer the door whenever anyone knocked on it. Now she can relax.

So, today I'm thankful that Seth is back home safe and sound.

The November 30 Day Thanksgiving Challenge

Thankful For The Wednesday Night Chefs

On Wednesday nights during the school year we have a huge AWANA children's ministry program going at our church. About 250 children come on those nights, and believe me, the building is rocking! Choir rehearsal is also on that night, and it's fun to wade through all those children and their young parents to get to the choir room. Through our closed door we can frequently hear the shrieks of delight as the children play games in the Crossing. There's no doubt, AWANA is one of the most exciting things going on at our church.

It takes a lot of adult leadership to pull off a ministry like that. To make it easier for people to volunteer and get there right after work, our Children's Ministries Coordinator, Ellen Dyke, decided we needed a meal for the volunteers at the church, so folks don't have to worry about supper, or run through a fast-food place on their way. This has been a real blessing to all involved, not just for the convenience, but for the time to visit with each other. I take advantage of it, too, because I'm often over there getting some conducting prep done before rehearsal. It's been a great way for me to keep connected with the younger families, since, once your kids are grown, you can easily lose track of the nursery set. We eat, talk, dandle babies, and laugh at the cute things the preschoolers do and say. Good times!

This wouldn't be possible without two unsung heroes, the volunteer chefs, Traci and Ana Marie, who cook it all up for us. Traci, who has a degree in dietetics, has been doing this for a couple of years now, and has it down to a system. She has meals planned out through the end of the year and posted on the church website, so people know what's coming up. She purchases the food needed for about 50 people, and gets to the church around 3:30 on Wednesday afternoon to get things going. Joined by Ana Marie, it is all cooked and ready for folks as they start arriving at 5pm. The meal is well balanced, interesting, and kid-friendly, since the workers generally have to bring their little ones along. Recently a switch from disposable plates and cups was made, to restaurant-style crockery plates and glasses, with real metal cutlery to boot. Traci and Ana Marie, and Traci's husband, Grant, then clean up the kitchen and run things through a dishwasher. (By the way, Traci is my daughter-in-law.)

It's so often the case that the best ministry at church is being done by people who get little recognition, and, for that matter, don't even seem to want it. This Wednesday night dinner, meant simply as a convenience, has turned into a real relationship builder. So that's what I'm thankful for- these two ladies, who make that all possible every week.

The November 30 Day Thanksgiving Challenge

Facing Disagreements

Life is full of messy stuff, isn't it? Relationships can be unsettled by disagreement, which, if not resolved, can lead to relational death. Sometimes "letting go", "going along to get along", biting your tongue-however you want to say it, seems like the wise thing to do. That doesn't always lead to reconciliation, though, and, as Christians we are called to the "ministry of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:17-18).

I have jotted down a few things I've read recently, and I've been reviewing them as a reminder of how to deal with disagreements in a way that leads to reconciliation.

From JT at Between Two Worlds:

How do I know when to confront something and when to overlook it?

The short answer is that it is a matter of wisdom or discernment. Each time you are offended, you need to wisely decide whether or not you need to bring it up. Only you can make the decision, but several diagnostic questions can help you work through it.Here's an outline of the questions:

Before confronting, ask, “Have I examined myself yet?”
Before confronting, ask, “How sure am I that I am right?”
Before confronting, ask, “How important is this?”
Before confronting, ask, “Does this person show a pattern of this kind of behavior?”
Before confronting, ask, “What do wise people counsel me to do?”
Before confronting, ask, “What else is going on in the other person’s world?”

If, after asking those questions, we determine that the matter is important enough to pursue:

From Rob at The Spyglass:

Christian unity costs us something. It costs us our egos, our comfort zones, and our ease. It calls us not to avoid those with whom we disagree, or with whom we have issues, or with whom we’re in conflict, but rather to confront them head-on—and to do so not with anger, or self-assertion, but with love and grace. This is not to say we must do so with approval; there are times when rebuke is necessary, and refusing to speak the hard truths is a violation of unity just as much as refusing to repent of our own sin and ask forgiveness. It is to say, however, that we cannot hang back from the work of reconciliation, and we cannot let mere disagreement become grounds for disunity. We may be rejected by others—but we cannot in good conscience be the ones to do the rejecting; and though there are times when God calls us to correct one another, even correction must be offered with open arms.

Of course, once we've gathered the courage to have that difficult conversation, there is that one last, difficult step.

From Ray Ortlund, quoting Spurgeon at Christ Is Deeper Still:

"When Pompey was killed, Julius Caesar obtained possession of a large casket, which contained a vast amount of correspondence which had been carried on with Pompey. There is no doubt whatever that in that casket there were many letters from certain of Caesar's followers making overtures to Pompey, and had Caesar read those letters it is probable that he would have been so angry with many of his friends that he would have put them to death for playing him false. Fearing this, he magnanimously took the casket and destroyed it without reading a single line. What a splendid way of putting away and annihilating all their offenses against him! Why, he did not even know them, he could not be angry, for he did not know that they had offended. He consumed all their offenses and destroyed their iniquities, so that he could treat them all as if they were innocent and faithful.
The Lord Jesus Christ has made just such an end of your sins and mine. Does not the Lord know our sins, then? Yes, in a certain sense. And yet the Lord declares, 'Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.' In a certain sense, God cannot forget. But in another sense, he himself declares that he remembers not the sins of his people but has cast them behind his back. 'The iniquities of Israel,' says he, 'shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found.'
An accusing spirit might have said to Caesar, 'Do you not know that Caius and Florus were deeply involved with your enemy, Pompey?' 'No,' he replies, 'I know nothing against them.' 'But in that casket there is evidence.' 'Ah,' rejoins the hero, 'there remains no casket. I have utterly destroyed it.'"

C. H. Spurgeon, Treasury of the New Testament, IV:131-132.

So, the Biblical process here is to determine the seriousness of the disagreement; confront, only if necessary, in an appropriate and Christ-like manner; and be willing to completely forgive and forget. That's the process of the "ministry of reconciliation".

Blog Action Day Follow-up

Even in my rather small blogging circle, there were some very thought-provoking posts yesterday on the theme of poverty. I'd like to invite you to check them out. It's interesting how different writers and different personalities came at this subject from so many angles.

Grant wrote about the way he acts upon his convictions by heading up a team to rehab houses locally.

Rob's interest in economics and politics are easy to see in his post; they are worth noting in this political season.

Erin takes the Evangelical mega-church movement to task about it's skewed priorities.

Sara reminds us that we will be accountable for what we focus our lives upon.

Beth has a powerful post showing how those of us who have much inadvertently misuse the poor by degrading their environment with our waste.

Jared quotes Bono's speech about justice for the poor.

Others who have posted recently on the subject of poverty and justice:

Joey reminded us a couple of days ago that there is an historical record of what happens to a society that ignores the plight of the poor.

Ruchi"s observations a month ago, made during a visit to India, fit right in with the theme.

It is great to see so many thinking and writing on this subject, and important to keep it before every one's eyes. But the goal of all that is to provoke action. Has reading any of this inspired someone out there to do something? Give something?

Submitting

From Ray Ortlund:

In 1836 Judge William Gould led a movement at First Presbyterian Church, Augusta, Georgia, to buy their first organ. It was a break with tradition. In a congregational meeting, one member rose and demanded chapter and verse where the Bible authorizes "the worship of God with machinery." But the members voted for the organ, and Judge Gould was appointed to raise the money.

Soon after the Judge ran into Robert Campbell, a member who had opposed the organ. Mr. Campbell asked the Judge why he had not asked him for a donation. Gould replied, "I knew you did not wish to have the organ." "That makes no difference," said Campbell. "When the majority of the members of the church have decided the matter, it is my duty to put aside personal feeling and assist as well as I may."

Narrated in David B. Calhoun, Cloud of Witnesses, pages 40-41.

Doing What We Were Designed to Do

Recently our church leadership has gone through an exercise where we looked at our church, both in it's current form and as it has been over it's history to find what the unique DNA of this Body is. Every church is unique, different, designed to serve a special purpose, and it was very interesting to delve into what our purpose is. When we came up with the five things that most accurately describe the character of our church, those of us in the meeting immediately resonated with the findings. "Yes," we all said, "that perfectly describes this church!"

One of those characteristics is a concern for mission outreach. It was something that drew my husband and I to the church, way back when we joined as 23 year old new parents. As a young couple, we had committed ourselves to tithing 10% of our income to Christian ministry, and finding a church that would help us direct that money was important to us. Since then, the church has never flagged in it's intentional approach to missions. By "missions" I mean serving beyond the walls of the church in both benevolent and evangelistic ways. This past Sunday, Pastor Randy, in his sermon, gave a list of things First Baptist has done in the past 36 months in the area of missions. Here's the list:

We have a $178,000 mission budget currently. When a special mission need arises like Katrina, this church digs deeply to respond. We passed the plate and came up with thousands of dollars that were not in the mission budget to aide the Katrina refugees. Some church members even had folks from the Gulf coast living with them for several months.

In addition:
1.Bill Manning visited Ed & Mariam Noyes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to help with their agricultural mission.

2.Jim & Marge Keasling (who served as medical missionaries in the Middle East years ago)attended a conference on Christianity & Islam at Arab Baptist Seminary in Beirut, Lebanon, where they sought to build bridges between Arab Muslims and Christians.

3.We provided ongoing help for the Honduras Children's Home: medical & dental teams; High School Bible School; built a cottage; financial support for multi-purpose building. In all, a total of 47 people have gone to Honduras to minister to children at Azapalqua.

4.Veterinarian Devon Spencer made a veterinary mission trip to India. She has just left on another such trip, to help nomadic herders learn to better care for their animals.

5.Hillary Shroeder, a third year medical student, is currently leading a team of 20 people on a medical trip to Uganda.

6.Felicia Milewski, a young woman who has grown up in our church, is in her second year of ministry in East Asia.

7.Chris Swiney & family, lead a Campus Crusade trip to Malawi, Africa.

8.Two work teams made trips to the Gulf to assist Habitat for Humanity in helping people affected by Katrina.

9.We support Sat TV, Christian programming to the Arab world.

10.Helped with an apartment for the drug rehab progam at Restoration Urban Ministries in Champaign.

11.Helped Drs. Parajon with a de-worming project in Central America, to improve the health of children.

12.Helped Drs. Guiterrez with medical equipment in South Africa.

13.Helped purchase a truck for Ed & Miriam Noyes' agricultural ministry to the poor in the DRC.

14.Helped provide children's lunches through the ministry of Scott Coates in Thailand.

15.Participated with Heifer Project to provide animals for the poor. This money was raised by the children in one of our elementary school Sunday School classes.

16.Our Food Pantry made deliveries weekly to the hungry in our community.

17. The Angel Corp, a group of volunteers from the church, made small home repairs for elderly and disabled people in the congregation.

18. People made homemade soup for Times Center homeless shelter.

19.Women's Circle made cancer bandages.

20.Good Samaritan shoe boxes that provide essentials for underprivileged children at Christmas were donated.

21.Grant Thomas, a young adult in this church, leads a group on the third Saturday of every month to help rehabilitate housing for the poor in our community.

22.A number of people from our church volunteer at Empty Tomb, a ministry to the poor.

23.Numerous people have gone to Israel to work among the Jewish people and the Palestinians.

24.Several years ago this church took the lead, financially & in sweat equity, to build a Habitat for Humanity home here in town.


As Pastor Randy read this list, which seemed to go on and on, tears came to my eyes. From day to day, it isn't always apparent that we are doing much. Only when someone looks back and makes a list can it be seen that service and mission are so interwoven into the life of this church as to almost seem ordinary. And that's as it should be, don't you think? It should be second nature to us, as Christians, to serve, give sacrificially, practice reconciliation, heal the sick, lift the poor, and let our hearts be broken by the things that break God's heart.

I'm so glad I'm part of this church!

Finding What You Are Looking For

"The bottom line is, people are hungry for spiritual things. Ultimately, even the world wants the church to be the church and to own up to who we really are....
Everything else- they can get that anywhere. They can pay thirty bucks to go see Letterman or whatever. But what people want today is God. They want to feel God, to know God....There is no substitute for the presence of God, for the anointing. There's none! Absolutely none. When God is making manifest His presence, I've seen the hardest people break down and weep before Him. They say, "I knew there was something to this."

Raphael Green

Yes, We Can

This Sunday I'm supposed to say something very brief about the beginnings of our church because we are making note, as we do every year, that on Set. 11, 1864, our congregation was originally founded. We won't make as big a deal about it this year as we did for the 140th birthday, but we feel like it's important to remember, each year, that long ago there were folks who didn't have a building, or a pastor, or any of those things we think of when we think of church. All they had was their love for Jesus, each other, and a desire to start a faith community that has grown and flourished for 144 years now.

In looking over some church memorabilia and records, I've come to realize what a tough thing it was to start a church at that time in our history. The slavery issue colored everything. This county was settled, for the most part, from the south. Most early settlers were from southern Ohio, southern Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee. They were, in some cases, from a slave-holding background. Others ( like my ancestors, who came here in 1852), were active abolitionists. I'm descended from a family who first freed their slaves, and then made their home a station on the Underground Railroad! So opinions were strong on both sides, and politics was top of the mind for even a backwater like this little railroad junction in the swamps of Illinois.

That made it tricky to start a church. On the frontier, church members were expected to "subscribe" to support the living expenses of a minister. At that time, abolition being a spiritual issue, and the movement coming mostly from church people, every one expected their minister to publicly announce whether he was pro- or anti-slavery. Then, if someone disagreed with the minister's stance, they would often refuse to subscribe to his living! Baptists tried, four different times between 1856 and 1864 to get a congregation off the ground, and each time had to dissolve over their differences about slavery, and their inability to get enough subscribers for a pastor.

Finally, on Sept. 11, 1864, 10 men and 14 women, along with a few others who are not recorded, remained after a preaching and agreed to organize themselves formally into Champaign Baptist Church. They adopted "Articles of Faith and Church Covenant", and called the pastor they had just heard preach to serve them. The emancipation of slaves was now a moot point, and they were able to move forward. They probably had hopes that their little church would last, but they surely had no idea of what it would look like today!

I found it very hopeful to me, personally, as I thought about how strident things can get during an election season, to know that God is still working to bring us together, provided we recognize that it will be in His timing and under His sovereignty, not ours. When believers can put the Gospel first, God can give them a mustard seed revolution. Just look right here! Just think about all the people who have come to know the Lord right here in this congregation over the past 144 years. Just think of all the marriages celebrated. Just think of the ones who have gone on to full time ministry and missionary work from here. Just think of the money poured out for the needy. Just think of the orphanage in Honduras, the clinic in India, the agricultural missions in Congo and Thailand. Just think of the youth groups and Sunday School classes and Small Groups who have bonded in the Bond of Love. Just think of the thousands of worship services, and, gosh, maybe millions of songs sung in praise. Just think of the potlucks!!

All started by a bunch of people who were having a tough time getting along, but set aside their differences to be the Body here on earth. If that doesn't show you the power of the Holy Spirit, I don't know what would.

"All this from is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation..." 2 Corinthians 5:18

Preparing For a Purposeful Choral Season

When I am preparing for the fall choir season, and the first rehearsal, I spend several weeks thinking and praying to discern the single most important goal or theme the Lord wants us to focus on for the year. Sure, we always work on precise diction, blend, accurate part-singing, etc.- the usual choral ensemble goals. I mention the importance of faithful attendance at rehearsal and building community in the group. We even make sure everyone has a robe that fits. But, more than anything, I want to cast a vision of what our role is in the service. Are we just a bunch of people who like to sing and like each other? For many sitting in the congregation, that may be the perception.

But the worship choir, along with the instrumentalists that work with us, are so much more than that! This year, at our first rehearsal, I gave the musicians a sheet of paper with the following charge written on it:


“God desires for His singers, musicians, and worship leaders to be powerful and convincing proclamation tools on the earth. As you combine your God-given talent and carefully-developed skill with a full understanding of your purpose in God’s kingdom you will become a more powerful and convincing voice. You will release your full potential and fulfill God’s purpose for singers and musicians.” (Great and Precious Promises for Singers and Musicians, p.9-10)

God’s clear purposes for musicians are:

To precede and proclaim His presence, His power, and His Word: preparing God’s people to receive Him. (1 Chron. 15:25-26)

To lead God’s people as they celebrate, thank, and praise Him. (1 Chron. 16:4 NAS)

When the singers, musicians, and worship leaders under King Solomon became “as one” (harmonically and with unified purpose), God responded mightily:

“…the temple, the Lord’s temple, was filled with a cloud. And because of the cloud, the priests were not able to continue ministering, for the glory of the Lord filled God’s temple.” (2 Chron. 5:13-14)

Seven Weeks of Vacation

It seems like this summer there has been a lot of discussion among my blogger friends about how to really step back from the rat-race and enjoy family, friends, neighbors, good books- in other words, find some space at the margins of life to breathe and think.

I loved this quote from Ray Ortlund:

"If we did set apart as holy one day each week, we would add to every year, for the rest of our lives, over seven weeks of vacation. And not for goofing off, but for worship, for fellowship, for mercy, for an afternoon nap, for reading a theological book, for thinking about God and taking stock of our lives, for lingering around the dinner table and sharing good jokes and tender words and personal prayers.
I know the objections to the Sabbath. But I am answering this question: How can I live with quietness of heart in the madness of this world? If anyone has a more biblical (and more immediately usable and beneficial) place to begin answering that question, I’m open. But raising hermeneutical objections to the Sabbath principle doesn’t give me quietness of heart."

Can You Stand The Light?

During the Welsh revival of 1904-1906, about 100,000 people were added to the churches, as reported by Andrée Seu in the latest issue of World magazine. Then she asks,

"A revival cynic later noted that after five years, 25,000 people had left the church. But which 25,000? Revival converts, or original members who couldn't stand the light?"

Does Joyce Have Any Deep Thoughts Left In Her Tiny Little Brain?

You know, I can post funny videos about Pachelbel's Canon, or about squirrel obstacle courses. And I know some of you found Bono interesting, either because he was Bono the very cool rock musician, or because he was Bono the humanitarian, or even because he was Bono excoriating the church for ignoring the poor and sick. And, if I post another video, I'm sure some one could start thinking, "doesn't she have anything original to say anymore? Is this blog just becoming a series of quotes and clips from other people?"

I've seen blogs like that, and I don't check them out very often myself, because I love strongly written prose, serious or funny, but always revealing the inner thoughts of their author. I love that so many people are writing, and there are so many more deep thoughts out there among people who appear to be average folks. I say, appear to be, because, once you get to know them through their blogs, you discover once again, there are no average folks! Everyone, everyone is bursting at the seams with ideas and opinions and intense curiosity about a zillion different subjects: politics, child-rearing, the environment, gardening, cooking, money-management, faith, community, literature- oh, man, you name it, people are thinking about it! And some are even writing about it.

Reading all that keeps me thinking hard, too. But I do have a job. I do go to work. And I need to think about the things that relate to my work. I work in a church. So, when I'm thinking about my job, I'm thinking about how I can be a better employee for my church, and help my church be the best it can be. When Pastor Randy challenged the staff to start blogging, he argued convincingly that a blog would help us communicate with our congregation. I'm pretty low on the staff hierarchy, and I'm not sure anyone feels terribly compeled to find out what I think, but, amid all the fun exchange of ideas with gardeners and green moms, I do try to think about what I would like to communicate to my fellow church members.

Recently, the staff has been thinking about how our church can become more "missional", that is, live out the real mission of the church. The term "missional" is confusing to many, and we are trying to perhaps clarify what we mean by it. Pastor Randy wrote a post on his blog recently that gave a good concise explaination.

Then I found something that I completely related to, and that helped me to grasp it even better. But it was a video clip! And I just posted a video clip! I shouldn't do that two posts in a row, should I? But it's a really good clip! By Tim Keller, one the formost church leaders in our country! So at the risk of sending the message that I am no longer capable of creating an original idea, here it is: